Big Earth bags BBC Beckham doc

News

Jon Creamer

26 October 2015

Big Earth Productions is to produce a 1x90-minute documentary for BBC1 and BBC Worldwide that will see David Beckham play seven games in all seven continents.

The film, will go on a journey to the "villages of Papua New Guinea, the foothills of Nepal, the streets of Buenos Aires, the desert plains of Djibouti to the manicured pitches of Miami and frozen wastelands of Antarctica."
He will join "local communities from all walks of life who play the beautiful game in some of the most challenging, remote and extreme locations on the planet."
With his travelling companion and childhood friend Dave Gardner, Beckham will journey through difficult terrain to get to the pitches, he will meet the locals and play a seven a-side game with two teams drawn from the local community.

The journey ends at Old Trafford, where Beckham plays his final game with a host of "footballing legends" to bid a final farewell to the ‘beautiful game’.

David Beckham, says: “I remember sitting on a plane and discussing this idea with friends and never thinking it would become a reality. I’m genuinely excited now we can realise this ambitious idea. Whether as a player or out in the field for UNICEF and other charitable partners, I have seen the transformational effect that sport and in particular football has on people’s lives. This epic journey will allow me to show the positive side of the game I love and shine a light on the passion and selflessness of people that play this sport as a force for good.”

David Beckham: For The Love Of The Game is the second documentary that he has made for the BBC. Last year David Beckham Into the Unknown was a hit with BBC Worldwide distributing the programme to over 165 countries.

Suzanne McKenna, Commercial Director of Factual Content at BBC Worldwide said: “David Beckham has an incredible ability to connect with people globally through his love of football and we’re thrilled to work with him again on this unique and inspiring event. From the remotest corners of the earth to its great metropolises, football has the power to bring people together and this shared passion will resonate with audiences everywhere. ”

Charlotte Moore, Controller BBC One, says: “David Beckham returns to BBC One for a special film following his long held personal ambition to play 7 games of football in every continent around the world from Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Chile to Antarctica. David has set himself the challenge to highlight how the beautiful game can be a transformational force for good in the way it change lives and brings communities together amongst some of the most isolated and vulnerable people in the world.”

Maxine Watson, Commissioning Editor, Documentaries, says: “David Beckham is a footballing icon whose passion for the game is well known; it’s the game that changed his life and continues to transform the lives of young players from Europe, The Americas to Africa and beyond. This challenge is also a voyage of discovery and a fitting tribute to the power of football.”

Commissioned for the BBC by Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One, and Maxine Watson, Commissioning Editor, Documentaries, the film is made by Big Earth Productions and will be distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide.